Aldern smiles widely at Rataji being silly with Princess. And Princess loves it. Lots of tail wagging and turning upside down in Aldern's arms so that her belly can be petted.
Aldern carefully puts Princess down. "The boar hunt we will be attempting is usually called Pigsticking. You know. Because you stick them with a spear... yeah... not too imaginative I know. The tickwood is nearby, and it has a healthy population of boars. They are also known for being really grumpy. The juveniles will still be with the mother, but wont wholly rely on her anymore. But the pack will still be protective. We use that to our advantage. We have several drivers, who will scare the pack. They drive them towards us. Presented with a direct threat, most boars will scatter, as that presents the best chance for the juveniles to live. But the dominant male will usually feel the need to defend his harem. If we can provoke him into a charge, we can stand our ground with the boar spears. His rage will do the work for us: he'll impale himself. If needed, I'll finish him off with a knife if necessary. Even when grievously wounded, a boar can be quite dangerous."
"That is a sound plan, but Tickwood is quite large. We're looking at stiff hike if we're to find this boar"
Aldern wiggles his eyebrows dramatically at Justin. "Its called the Tickwood because several people have claimed to see sized ticks in the forest. I've never seen one myself. But if you buy the guys at the Hagfish a round, they'll tell you all about them I'm sure. You'll get a few stories about the Sandpoint Devil too bet I'd wager."
Turning to Snowflake, Aldern spreads his arms in an inviting gesture and points to the entrance of the stables.
"You are correct. Tickwood isnt close to sandpoint. That is why, as a means of thanking you for saving my life, I'm gifting you all a horse." He quickly looks to Justin. "And a pony."
"Its a practical gift, one that I hope will help you no matter what you decide to do. Stay in Sandpoint, or travel on. Having a horse at your disposal can make your life a lot easier. They are my gifts to you. And dont worry. I've payed Daviren ahead for stabling them here. So they wont become an immediate financial burden for you."
Rataji claps her hands. "My very own horse! Oh, what will she be like? May I meet her now?"
At the discussion of the giant ticks, she grins to Justin. "If the ponies don't work out... maybe you can train one of those ticks to be your mighty steed. If anyone asks if it's combat trained, you can say it's already been blooded."
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Looks at Rataji, quirks an eyebrow and starts scribbling notes.
-Justins log. Cousin Sullivan was not, as I had suspected, exaggerating the glee with which human females look forward to getting a pony. He had assured me that the phase only lasted a few years, but it seems to be a permanent affliction...
Aldern makes a bow and holds out his arm for Rataji. "Of course my fair lady. Let me accompany you to your mighty steed!"
Smiling, he winks at Rataji in mock conspiracy.
Arm in arm with Rataji, Aldern leads the way into the stable.
Saddled and ready, are three horses, and two ponies. All mares, one horse is light brown, one is dark brown, and the last is a pretty piebald.
The ponies are of the larger and stockier Velashu Uplands variety.
Releasing Rataji's arm, Aldern makes another bow. "This pretty piebald lady will carry you far and wide. I want to say her fiery temper matches yours, but I would be lying. I have done my best to try for gentle animals. Would be a sour gift if I gave novice riders a spirited animal."
"What are their names? Do They even have names?"
Snowflake stands still, and watches the other twp horses, and keeps an eye on there ears. He approaches the one who looks the most curious
Rataji strokes the pretty black and white horse. "So lovely! Do you have a name yet, sweetie?"
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"I think I'll just stick with Bitey, thanks. " He heads into the stable and comes out being dragged by the leash of a pony sized rat, which looks at the assembled crowd, hisses, and drags Justin back inside.
"...Maybe he should get to know you all first. Anyone have any peanuts? He really doesn't care for cheese... " There's a loud thump and by the end of the statement his voice is coming from up in the rafters.
The light brown horse eagerly snifs Snowflakes outstreched hand. The dark brown horse seems more interested in the piebald horse.
Aldern smiles. "I got them from a good breeder. He doesnt name them, other then calling them by their gender. So these are all called 'girl', and the ponies are both 'boys'. The ponies have been castrated, so no need to worry about them going crazy over the ladies. They are all young, so you can easily get them to respond to a new name with a bit of love and something tasty."
A bit hesistant Aldern peeks into the stable. "Eh... you all right there Justin? You sure you dont want the pony? Its quite docile..."
"Do you need a hand getting down?"
Aldern then shrugs. "The pony is yours anyway. He can stay in the stables for now. But perhaps you can use him as a pack animal later on."
Snowflake approaches 'his' horse and pets it. He had never ridden on a horse, but he knows animals. Animals like pettings and scratchies.
Snowflake picks up a brush and brushes the horse down, letting it get used to him.
"Let's try to be friends here, okay? I need to get somewhere and only you can do it"
here goes nothing
Snowflake climbs upon the horse
The light brown horse seems to like the attention and eagerly sniffs Snowflake's pockets to see if there is anything tasty in there.
Mounting up, Snowflake sits a little awkwardly in the saddle, but the horse doesnt seem to mind.
"Very good!" Aldern encourages Snowflake. "I'll teach you how to properly hold the reins. Everyone, come closer and I'll help snowflake. Now, hold opposite sides of the reins. Hold your palm flat." Aldern gently takes the reins and puts them into Snowflakes hands. "Loop the rein around your pointer, middle, and ring fingers. It should not wrap around your thumb or pinky.
Hold the reins loosely, and turn your hands so your thumbs point up and slightly toward each other." Aldern places Snowflakes hands in the right position. "Very good, you're doing great. Now, remember to never have your hands further apart than the width of your horse's neck. Keep your hands relaxed and a little above the saddle, in front of the saddle pad. Keeping tension on the reins is important, but I'll teach you more along the way."
Aldern gets his own horse from the stables, a tall grey gelding. "Ok, lets go outside and I'll help you all into the saddle."
Also taking Snowflake's horse by the reins, Aldern leads his own horse and Snowflake outside.
Three people are waiting outside, a human male, a human female and a male elf. They have their own horses and are mounted up already. They all carry a set of boar spears.
"Good, good." Aldern calls out. "I see our drivers have arrived. Lets get ready."
He carefully assists everyone with mounting up, and holding the reins properly. "All right, loosen the reins, and gently squeeze with your legs while leaning a bit forward."
Giving the commando to start walking is a bit awkward, but the horses feel comfortable following Aldern's gelding.
Going at a gentle walking pace, Aldern instructs everyone with the basic commands of riding. Walking, stopping, turning, holding steady when dismounting and mounting.
With the basics covered, you've left sandpoint and on the Lost Coast road.
"Now that we're sitting a bit more comfortably, let me introduce our drivers: Annabeth, Wilbert and Vitro."
Taj follows directions, but it's clear that she's never ever done this before. Her black and white beauty shifts its hooves impatiently. "Am I doing this right? She looks slightly annoyed!"
She pets the horses mane, and offers a little snack. "Maybe it's because we haven't properly been introduced. I'm Taj. With that black and white pattern, what should we call you? Chiaroscuro?" The horse snorts. "You're right, maybe that's a little too pretentious. Well, a name will eventually come to us. So what do we do next?"
Eventually, the horse and her find a rhythm and Taj manages to stay in the saddle.
Taj reaches in her vest pocket and throws a bread roll at Justin....
...and hits him squarely on the nose.
"Eat this!" Then she turns and coos to the horse, while stroking her mane. "Don't listen to that grump. You will never be on the menu."
"Well, if I'm to be eaten last, with any luck whatever wandering monster crosses our path is already too stuffed to do it." The elf that walks into view looks at his fellow drivers with a sly grin. "No offense meant."
Pointy ears, eyes without white, hair in that peroxide color that doesn't come naturally to anyone else - yeah, it's an elf alright. Although there's something a little off about him. It's not his clothes - he's dressed in practical greens and browns, nothing too heavy for a hunt. It's something about his build - a bit heavy for an elf? No, not really, he'd be just as tall and lithe as most of them if he stood up a bit straighter. But the way he walks, with legs spread a little wider, never lifting them far off the ground, but stepping in a sort of sweeping motion - it reminds you a little of Tien martial artists that occasionally cross over the Path of Aganhei into Varisia.
He takes a moment to look all of you up and down, an eyebrow raised at the ratfolk.
"So you're the big heroes of the town I've been hearing about. I'm Vitro. I'll be making the loud noises today, to drive boars in your direction."
Snowflake greets Vitro, but is concentrating on his horse. He's not exactly riding on the horse, as he's more like negotiating with his horse to go the same as the others. He is however a bit vigilant, and is keeping his shortspear ready.
"Hi. My name is Vy. I'll let my sister do the talking for me, since she's wont to do so gladly"
Vy keeps looking in the bushes. Not looking for boar, but for something he's expecting to be around.
The other two drivers make a short introduction.
"As Aldern said, I'm Annabeth. I've assisted Aldern on hunts numerous times. When I'm not keeping him out of trouble, I work part time at the meat market." She gives Aldern a fat wink.
The man is a lot more quiet. "I'm Wilbert. I work at the stables. Like Annabeth, I occasionally assist mr. Foxglove when he goes hunting."
Aldern looks like he is enjoying the day out immensely. He gives calm pointers to those who need it with riding. "Wilbert, call me Aldern, really, please."
The Lost Coast road meanders on, following the coastline closely. The afternoon is sunny, and there is a light sea breeze.
"See those hills over there?" Aldern asks. "Those are the Ravenroost hills. And do you know what's behind those hills? The Devils platter. Goblins and Bugbears make it their home. But its home to something far more sinister. The Sandpoint Devil!"
Aldern looks meaningfully at Justin. His tone of voice shifts.
"A shadow in the Lost Coast’s all-too common mists, it makes its presence known by baying terrible half-howls, half-screams that echo from the eerie stones of the Devil’s Platter.
The Sandpoint devil has haunted these lands for years. Those who have seen the beast and borne witness to its horror describe it as a horse-like thing, with a nearly skeletal head filled with sharp, lupine teeth."
Aldern mimics a maw with his hands. "From its lean, equine body jut a pair of ragged bat wings, its forelegs end in powerful hooves, capable of supporting it weirdly upright like a man. Its eyes glow a demonic red; a tail like a reptile; and broken, stag-like antlers adorn its head."
"The Sandpoint devil most commonly appears on misty, moonless nights. A thief of livestock, kidnapper of children, and bringer of woes, countless tales surround the beast. Fully half the farmers in the region claim to have seen the creature on at least one occasion. Some stories say the devil is a manifestation of evil and that its coming foretells times of great woe—explaining its numerous sightings around the time of the Late Unpleasantness. Others explain away the creature as some ancient, wizard-warped beast that hides in the deepest crags of the Devil’s Platter. What it really is? Who konws..."
Aldern fills most of the ride to tickwood with more tales of the Sandpoint Devil, one more tall then the other. They would probably be more frightening around a campfire, but Aldern isnt a half bad story teller and the mile and a half to tickwood pass pleasantly.
Vitro listens to the description, at first with just a hint of a dismissive smile, but growing a bit more forced as the stories just keep going on. He's carrying a rapier and ever so casually checks to make sure it's not stuck in the sheath. And with the other hand he rummages around in a pouch and there's a faint clinking of some glassware.
"Sure a lot of stories.. probably a lot of exaggeration, but aren't humans supposed to be the can't-leave-it-alone doers of deeds who'd seek out such a monster to slay it? If this thing is still around, either Sandpoint doesn't have much in the way of heroes and powerful allies, or this thing is really quite awful.
Or maybe it doesn't really exist. After all, humans make up lots of things too. Anyway, isn't it a lovely sunny day, totally not a misty moonless night?"
Meanwhile he casually continues to look over the adventurers. The rat-man... "well, haven't seen that before, but it talks and reads. The rest of them react pretty casually to him. I wonder if he's a polymorph gone bad, or if this is his natural form?"
Hoping to be inconspicuous about it, Vitro tries to sneak a peek at the papers.
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Hoping to be inconspicuous about it, Vitro tries to sneak a peek at the papers.[dice=Perception]1d20+2
[dice=Bluff]1d20+1
Vitro can clearly see what is the spell expeditious retreat, copied from at least three different spellbooks judging from the mishmash of styles used in the annotation. There's a section missing that's been cobbled together in a rather dangerous fashion that might shunt the user out of reality for a second or two. As if that wasn't bad enough there's a brief summation of the spell scrawled in the margins which is what the Ratfolk seems to be reading.
Justin can clearly see what the Elf is doing, and shuffles a bit to the side while turning the book a bit so the elf can get a better view it while tilting his head a bit to continue his reading.
"Oh, erhm, that's a very... interesting... approach to that spell there."
"What were you THINKING?! Reading into another wizard's spellbook unasked? You could have gotten blown up or encased in amber or such!"
"Sorry for peeking. That was incredibly rude of me.." he stammers, even blushing a little bit with embarrassment.
"Maybe it's the time I spent in Korvosa, the wizards there were all very possessive of their 'secrets' - all of them trying to get an edge on each other. I suspect it was some sort of competition to graduate at the top of their class.
But yeah, I'm a bit of a wizard myself, although I've never really studied that spell. I didn't realize you could try to just skip space like that, I thought it was supposed to work by optimizing the walking rhythm with feedback from the terrain, and slight enhancements to leg muscle force at the right moments."
Arriving at the Tickwood, you only go a littleway into the forest before dismounting. Wilbert stays with the horses.
Aldern gives everyone a boar spear, even the drivers, as a precaution, and gives basic instruction how to properly brace a spear.
Going deeper into the forest, its clear that this is no place for horses. There is deep underbrush in a lot of places. It makes for slow going, but you quickly find a deer path to follow.
Vitro suggest the general area they should search, based on the feeding patterns of the boars.
Finding fresh tracks however prove to be hard to find. Both Annabeth and Aldern have no luck, but Snowflake finds some freshly chewed roots. Following the trail of chewed vegetation, you come upon a clearing.
A small band of pigs is searching for grub in the mud. A couple of sows with their yearling piglets, a few adolescent males and one big boar.
Quietly Aldern intructs the group. The drives go forward, the catchers to another clearing a little while back.
Once Aldern, Snowflake, Rataji, Oskar and Rodrak are into place, Aldern mimics a bird sound.
Hearing their cue, Annabeth, Vitro and Justin start whacking bushes and making loud noises, startling the boars, who immediately flee away from the noise, towards the waiting spears.
As predicted, confronted with the waiting spears, the sows and yearlings scatter, but the big boar, fearing for his harem, charges.
Grunting, the boar charges Snowflake!
It happens in a flash. The Boar charges with such force, that the boar spears cross guards are no help. It tears a hole from Snowflake's knee all across his belly to his shoulder.
But the boar at the same time impales itself deeply on Snowflake's spear. The beast isnt out, but is bleeding heavily.
Round 1
Initiative
Justin
Snowflake
Aldern
Vitro
Boar
Rodrak
Oskar
Rataji
Bold may post an action.
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"Well yes but the most efficient distance to travel is none so...ACK! the ratfolk drops a battered teacup onto the ground and waves a delicate little hand in the boars direction, the black liquid congealing into a slick viscous mass under the boars hooves.
Grease the pig, put an arcane point into it to up the reflex save to a dc 16
"It was inevitable..."
and scurry 20 feet to get behind a solid tree.
Snowflake drops to his knees with a stiffled grunt and with his last energy stll left in him, cures himself.
.
He than goes prone
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"I'm just supposed to be the hired help, not steal the glory from them right? Oh screw it, that guy's about to get killed!|
With a muttered incantation (mage armor) Vitro hefts the boar spear and moves closer, looking for the right moment to throw a glob of acid at the bear or just set up a flank for someone.
"What silly round-ear invented these weapons in the first place? The design implies insanity - why would you hunt such an animal from close by? This is just humans seeking to cut their already short lives even shorter!"
Finding no stable footing, the boar falls prone with a squeal.
Aldern: With a curse, Aldern drops his boar spear and draws a war razor from his coat. "Desna's wings! Hold on Vy, I am coming for you!"
Leaping forward, Aldern half climbs on top of the prone boar. Grabbing it by the snout, he expertly draws his war razor across the beasts throat.
With a gurgling squeal, the boar stops moving.
Taj drops her spear and runs to her brother. "Snow! What can I do to help?!" She's not a magical healer, but she tries to stanch his wounds.
"Can someone help my brother? Please?"
Snowflake groans. He managed to close his wounds partially, and a lot of the bleeding has stopped.
"Urg. Taj, its Ok. I can heal myself up in a bit, once I am sure most of my appendages are attached."
Snowflake looks at his torn clothes, blood everywhere. "How in the nine hells are we going to explain this to father? He's never letting us out of his sight again."
Taj laughs, her hair sparking into a fire again. "No, he won't." She glances over at Justin and the shy elf -- Vitro? -- that he's been chatting with. She flutters her eyelashes. "Would either of you Masters of the Arcane have the Mending or Prestidigitation cantrips prepared?"
With the boar dispatched properly, Aldern rushes over.
"I am so sorry Vy. Rataji. I had hoped for a exiting afternoon, but this is not what I wanted. I'll completely reimburse you for the clothes."
The look of tension fading from his face as the threat seems to be gone, the elf walks over to check up on the fallen... guy...
"I could stitch them together by hand for now and use Mending tomorrow if you like. Gossip will take care of the blood."
With that Vitro stands ready to give him a hand to get back up.
"Are you sure you're okay? Take a second to make sure you're ready to stand. That beast came on fast."
"Hakakakakak! Sure, make me clean up all the blood again, always the same story!"
A magpie hops down from a branch next to Vy and stares intently at the blood, which starts slithering off Vy and out of his clothes, slinking away almost as if to avoid the magpie's stern stare.
"That should at least make sure your dad doesn't have a fit when you come back into town."
"Thank you, Gossip," Rataji says, gravely. Her father had taught her it was important to be always polite to familiars. "I'm Taj." Then she looks over at Vitro and gives him a smile. "Thank you as well."
Then she pauses. "ನನ್ನ ತಂದೆ ನನಗೆ ಎಲ್ವೆಸ್ ಭಾಷೆಯನ್ನು ಕಲಿತ, ಆದರೆ ನಾನು ಇದುವರೆಗೆ ಅನೇಕ ಭೆಟ್ಟಿಯಾಗಿಲ್ಲ. ನಾನು ಉಚ್ಚಾರಣೆ ಬಲ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿತೆ?"
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" No"
Justin pauses and looks through his book for a few seconds, counting off something on his fingers
"Yes "
and prestidigitates the modestly bald humanoid before mending his clothes. " There. Now you have no evidence for the patriarch of your family to confront you with to show you that he disapproves of your behavior. "
"Oh, doesn't she have nice manners? You could learn something from her Boss."
"ಇದು ನನಗೆ ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಪೂರ್ವ ಶಬ್ದಗಳನ್ನು ನನ್ನ ಉತ್ತರ ಅಪ್ ಅರಣ್ಯ ಬರುತ್ತವೆ. ನಾನು ವಿನಮ್ರ ದೇಶದ ಜಾನಪದ ಮನುಷ್ಯ." He says, smiling and with a bit of an exaggerated accent himself - a sort of Varisian twist to it.
"Patriarch... hmm, I guess the rat-wizard comes from an actual species, not a singular polymorph accident. Interesting..."
Aldern carefully lifts Vy up with the help of Rataji. A bit unsteady on his feet, Vy manages to cast another spell.
His wounds do not close completely, but what remains is a large but fairly shallow wound.
Aldern carefully leans Vy on his sisters shoulders. "Steady as you go now. I'll ty up this hog, and then we can make it back to the horses."
Aldern ties up the boar, using a few sturdy branches a a frame.
Pulling the boar back to the horses is hard work. Its a large specimen and weighs a lot, although the frame does make it a bit easier to drag it along.
Aldern apologizes several times more during the ride back to Sandpoint.
Snowflake is a bit unsteady in the saddle, but he is at least cleaned up by the time you make it back to sandpoint.
Annabeth takes the boar to the meat market for butchering, while Wilbert stays at the stable to take care of the horses.
The rest make it back to the Rusty Dragon.
Ameiko looks concerned when you drag Snowflake back upstairs, but you tell her not to worry. You dont thing she believes you, but she leaves it at that.
After a bath and some clean clothes, Snowflake feels a lot better, and a few bandages help a lot.
Having all cleaned up, you head to the common room for dinner. Delicious smells waft from the kitchen. Bethana is behind the bar, giving you a basked of bread and cheese to tide you over untill dinner is served.
Aldern joins you a little while later, carrying Princess who he puts under the table (where she promptly starts licking Rataji's leg).
While enjoying your bread, a surly visitor slams the tavern’s door open and bellows out a sharp-tongued command in a strange language.
He has grey streaks in his hair and looks like he slept badly the last few days. He wears a strange robe. You think you recognize him from somewhere.
The locals in the bar certainly do and grow very quiet and interested in their meals.
The man looks intently around the room. It looks like he doesnt spot what he is looking for, but he does see your group. Stomping over, it is clear that the man is angry about something.
"You! You band of so called heroes. Endangering the townsfolk with your ill-advised “antics” against the goblins. You should have left the defense of the town to the city guard and other trained professionals."
Aldern stands up, holding his hands up in a soothing gesture. "Sir Kaijitsu, please. It is clear you are angy, but compose yourself. These people did their best saving lives. No need to redirect your wrath their way."
The old man Aldern called Sir Kaijitsu seems to swell up a bit more. "I will say what I damn well please Aldern. You have no right trying to dictate what I say or dont say. This is my town, not yours, although you do act like it. You're a disgrace to the Foxglove name and will never live up to your father's legacy. He was a fine man, and behaved like a nobleman should. You've just inherited the name and the fortune, but its clear you take more after the yokels that raised you here."
Aldern gets pale at the words of Sir Kaijitsu. He opens and closes his mouth a few times, but no words come out.
Taj raises her eyebrow, and her hair lights up with a bit of fire. Kaijitsu? Is he a relative of our lovely hostess?
She steps up gracefully, and brushes herself off. "Sir Kaijitsu, I don't believe we've met. I'm the one called Rataji, and these are my companions." She steps up and gives the man her most gracious smile. "I believe that there may have been a misunderstanding here, and I would love for us to correct it. May I order you a drink while we talk?"
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Vy tries to grab Taj, and when he fails, is pantomiming sushing .
Sir Kaijitsu eyes Rataji up and down, not bothering to hide his critical stare. He barks a derisive laugh, rolls his eyes, and says, “Just what we need—a filthy band of vagrants to attract even more trouble to town. I've heard about you. Bringing that half breed cur," and he points to Snowflake, "back here. You can try and use some cultured language, and get on the good side of the local yokels by dispatching some goblins. But he brought this town nothing but misery. I wont be surprised if he killed his sister out of spite and set fire to the church to hide his crimes."